The Cecil Whig., 1887-07-02
THRILLING WAR STORY
A Union Scouts Trying Time After los
ing His Pass.

Thoughts of Il Man About to be Sent Into
Eternity
Inc story OF man VINO is rcprleyed
while standing on the scafiOld with the
moose about his neck, must always thrill
The fact of any one standing in the pres
ence of death for moment has a strange
fascination about it, and his fellow men
are anxious to know what his thoughts
and feelings were as he expected to be
ushered into eternity. It has been my
i'll luck to look Squarely into the eyes OF
grim death on several occasions, and my
good luck to preserve my lite against the
fate which seemed to hunger for it, aud
some of the incidents may prove interest
ing to the general reader.
During the seige of Yorktown by Nc.
Clelan | was detailed from my company
to do scout work. While my reports no
doubt went to the commander himself,
| reported directly to a division comman-
der, whom never met without being
forced to notice that he was the worse
for liquor Later on in the war there
was a chief Of scouts, but at this time
there were half dozen of US taking or
ders direct from this General and report
ing back to him in person. On my third
trip was very nearly captured by the
rebels, and III the squeeze | got rid of all
my papers, including the pass which
gave me entrance and exit to the Federal
lines. Therefore, when finally reached
the Federal picket post had nothing by
which to identify myself. The officer in
command of the reserve picket post was
a smart Aleck, who thought to add to his
Importance by refusing to believe my
story ard sending me to the headquarters
n q hrIfy I "A
a veritable rebel spy, and the General ip
| command was extremely pompous in his
demeanor toward me. | can remember
the conversation as vividlY as if it took
place yesterday. By the time | reached
his tent my arms had been tied behind
me- and was looked upon as a very dan
gerous fellow.
so you are the ID spy captured
down there at the pickett shouted the
General as stood before him.
Il am no spy, SIR | replied.
"Oh, no, OF course not: but don't you
talk back to me, you internal traitor
Who sent you spying into our campo
am Union soldier, sir, ard belong
shut up, you scoEdrel Don't think
that you can stand there and lie to me.
| What rebel command do you belong to?"
None, sir. am Unlou scout, and
was detailed -"
Stop he shouted, while bis face
grew crimson. "While the truth NAV
not help you, l hate to see you stand in
| the presence of death with lie upon
your lips. Guard, remove him.
| was taken away and confined in a
guard house, but not Cor long. In about
an hour | was taken II another tent in
the same encampmeut, and | entered it
to find four or five general officers pres
ent. 1t was to be drum head court
martial. AS afterwards learned re-
| port of my capture had been sent to head
quarters, and Mcclellan had replied
Try him by drum head court martial,
and if found guilty hang him atsunrise.'
y drum-head court martial is IL digniti@d
farce. 1t is convened to convict. Tie
idea is that the vicsim is guilty, but
| must be disposed of according to the
regulations in the War Department. The
fact that openly and boldly approached
the Union picket, and that | was coming
from the rebel lines, carried no weight in
my favor. The officer of the picket said
| was certainly spy, and that settled it.
When they finally condescended to hear
my explanation | gave my name, and
stated that the General to whom | made
my reports would identify me. | stood
i'll neither awe nor fear, knowing how
easily could be identified. Some of the
members of the court we're opposed to
| giving me this chance for my life, but it
was finally decided to despatch an or.
derly aud adjourn the couIt for an hour
| was conducted back TO the guard house
| to wait. and when again taken before the
officers | expected to be discharged with
out delay. Gou can therefore imagine
my feelings when | was Informed that
Gen. -- utterly repudiated me. My
regiment and company were a dozen
miles away, aud | felt that it would be
useless to ask further delay. Ia ten min
utes | Was found guilty. and sentenced to
execution at sunrise, and before midnight
scatfold had been prepared.
Why had Gen. denied nv iden-
tity? The only excuse | could offer for
him was that he was drunk when the
messenger reached him, and such proved
to be the case. Reused from his stupid
sleep, he had winked and blinked at the
communication and made out a portion
of it, and then flung it down with the as.
SertiOn that he knew no one of my name.
The gallows was erected within a few
rods of where | was confined. Some
beams and boards were taken from au
abandoned house, and the structure was
a very rude affair. | could plainly hear
every blow struck. and the fellows en-
gagged in putting it up seemed to vast
me to overhear their unfeeliug remarks.
About an hour before daylight a curious
change took place in me. l began to
wonder if really was the man | claimed
to be, and it wasn't fifteen minutes be.
fore had come to the conclusion that |
was some one else-in fact rebel spy,
as they declared. This idea took such
firm lodgment in my head that | would
have honestly denied my real identity. |
felt that had been fairly tried and hon
estly convicted, ard that ought to suffer
death. There was no particular terror in
the idea. The only thought about hang
ing which made me cring was the fall
through the trap. It seemed to me as
reflected on it that the pain would be
something awful, but | was consoled at
the same time with the reflection that it
would soon be over.
Half an hour before sunrise | was
brought out and escorted to the foot of
, the gallows. Ii | remember right there
was about half company of infantry on
the ground. Only a lew OF the soldiers
: III camp were out to witness the proceed
ings. They had graciously provided me
with spiritual consolation in tie presence
of chaplain, but, though the good man
talked to ME for ten minutes, | did not
hear one word in twenty he uttered. |
was always wondering how long before
) it would be over, and every minute OF
delay made me impatient. When the
time came for me to mount the scal1old
was really glad of it. There was nothing
in the sight Of the dangling rope to chill
me. | took iny place on the trap the
chaplain uttered d prayer, and then sol.
dier quickly tied my elbows and ankles
a and pulled a cap over my head. 1t vas 4
D matter ot seconds now, and | said to my
, self:
; "It is coming uow-good- bye to all--it
: will soon be over
They bad to cut rope underneath to
spring the trap. My sense Of hearing was
SO acute that located the man who .tood
with an axe ready to do this service at a
, given signal, and heard him whisper tc
himself:
L why, i'll Gods name do they keep the
man SO long IN suspense"
7, "Then | began to count ouc-two-
three, and so on, and had got up to nine
] when heard shouting not far away
and mingled with it the sounds of horses
! coming at gallcp.
"Don'J cut that rOprN commanded the
. officer i'll charge, and | said TO myself
!; Something has gone wrong and there
- will be further delay. Perhaps | am tc
q be shot. That would be an easier way
to die"
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